Method and apparatus for communicating with people

Abstract

A method and apparatus for communicating with people who are both deaf and blind is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a keyboard controlled electromechanical hand. The electromechanical hand is programmed to form the letters of the standard one-hand manual alphabet through the use of an electronic buffer between the electric typewriter and the electromechanical hand. The buffer converts the electric typewriter code into separate control signals for each letter of the alphabet. Next, the buffer uses the alphabet control signals to move the hand in a manner simulating the one-hand manual alphabet code. Deaf and/or deaf and blind people feel the configurations of the electromechanical hand and are able to identify the letters. This provides an effective means of communication by persons who do not know the one-hand manual alphabet with people who are deaf and blind.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for communicating with persons who understand the one-hand manual alphabet, consisting of the following steps: generating a coded signal for a preselected alphanumeric character, said preselected alphanumeric character being one of a plurality of alphanumeric characters;   converting said coded signal to generate a single output for said preselected alphanumeric character;   moving a mechanical hand in response to said single output to form said preselected alphanumeric character in said one-hand manual alphabet;   reading said preselected alphanumeric character by feeling said mechanical hand.   
     
     
       2. The method of communicating with persons as given in claim 1 including after converting step an additional step of selecting appropriate actuating devices to move mechanical hand. 
     
     
       3. The method of communicating with persons as given in claim 2 including the additional step of clocking said single output for said preselected alphanumeric character into said mechanical hand to give delayed movement to component parts thereof. 
     
     
       4. The method of communicating with persons as given in claim 3 further including as a first step a resetting of all control logic so that said mechanical hand will begin the forming of said preselected alphanumeric character from a rest position. 
     
     
       5. The method of communicating with persons as given in claim 1 wherein said generating step includes typing of said preselected alphanumeric character into an electric keyboard to generate said coded signal. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus for communicating with persons via the one-hand manual alphabet, said apparatus comprising: a source of power;   means connected to said source of power for generating coded signals for each alphanumeric character, each alphanumeric character being one of a plurality of alphanumeric characters;   electronic means receiving and converting said coded signals to separate single output signals in response to each alphanumeric character received;   driver means receiving said separate single output signals;   mechanical hand means connected to said driver means, said driver means moving said mechanical hand means to form each alphanumeric character in said one-hand manual alphabet.   
     
     
       7. The apparatus as given in claim 6 wherein said electronic means includes decoding logic which receives and decodes said coded signal to give said separate single outputs for each alphanumeric character. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus as given in claim 7 wherein said driver means includes a number of individual drivers, said apparatus further including selector means to actuate predetermined individual drivers for each alphanumeric character. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus as given in claim 8 further including clock means connected to decoding logic and selector means for timing said actuation of said predetermined individual drivers for each alphanumeric character. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus as given in claim 9 wherein said mechanical hand is an anthropomorphic dummy with pivot means simulating joints in a hand, said anthropomorphic dummy being pivoted about said pivot means by said driver means. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus as given in claim 10 wherein said individual drivers are solenoids, said solenoids being connected to individual cables that also attach to said mechanical hand, upon actuation of any of said solenoids, said actuated solenoid pulls its individual cable to cause a given movement of said mechanical hand. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus as given in claim 6 wherein said means for generating includes a typewriter keyboard for generating said coded signals.